Boris Johnson appointed foreign secretary

Image credit: Press Association

Boris Johnson has been made foreign secretary in Theresa May's first cabinet.

The appointment comes just two weeks after he pulled out of the race to become prime minister after Michael Gove decided to run himself rather than supporting Johnson’s leadership bid.

The former mayor of London and Eurosceptic MP was a surprise appointment to a role that former chancellor George Osborne had been tipped for.

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Osborne is no longer in the Cabinet, having replaced as chancellor by former foreign secretary Philip Hammond.

Another Eurosceptic, former party chairman David Davis, has been appointed to the newly-created post of secretary of state for exiting the European Union.

Amber Rudd has been promoted from energy secretary to home secretary, while Michael Fallon remains in post as defence secretary.

Former defence secretary Liam Fox has re-entered the Cabinet in a new role as secretary of state for international trade.

Last night Johnson said: "I'm very humbled and very proud to be offered this chance. I think Theresa made a wonderful speech this afternoon about her ambitions for the country and how she saw the Conservative government taking Britain forward.

"I completely agree with her sentiments about opportunity and giving people better life chances and clearly now we have a massive opportunity in this country to make a great success of our new relationship with Europe and with the world, and I'm very excited to be asked to play a part in that."

Theresa May is expected to announce the rest of her cabinet today.